1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display apparatus and, more particularly, to a plasma display apparatus having a heat dissipating structure for a driver integrated circuit (IC).
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a plasma display apparatus has a plasma display panel for displaying the desired images based on the plasma generated due to gas discharge. The electrodes provided at the plasma display panel are electrically connected to a driving circuit, and a driver IC applies address voltages to the electrodes in accordance with the signals controlled at the driving circuit.
Among voltage application structures using a driver IC, there are a chip on board (COB) structure wherein the driver IC is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), and a chip on film (COF) structure wherein the driver IC is directly mounted on a flexible printed circuit (FPC) formation film. Recently, a small-sized and low cost tape carrier package (TCP) has been extensively used as the voltage application structure.
Meanwhile, in order to express 256 grays or more with a plasma display panel, at least eight-timed address discharges should be made for 1/60 second corresponding to the one TV field, and hence, much heat is generated in the COF, the COB or the TCP structures mounted on the chassis base.
Accordingly, a reinforcing plate is provided at the COB or the COF structure to reinforce its structural intensity and fix it to the chassis base. The reinforcing plate has the further role of a heat sink to dissipate the heat generated at the IC to the exterior.
Meanwhile, in order to dissipate the heat generated at the driver IC of the TCP structure, a liquid or gel-typed thermal conduction medium is disposed between the driver IC and the chassis base to transfer the heat to the chassis base.
However, with respect to the plasma display apparatus with the above heat dissipating structure, when it is checked or repaired, the thermal conduction medium is diffused toward the periphery of the driver IC to thereby form a predetermined gap between the driver IC and the chassis base. Accordingly, the heat conducted from the driver IC via the thermal conduction medium is not efficiently transferred to the chassis base due to the gap between the driver IC and the chassis base so that the heat at the driver IC is not dissipated.